Data processing device for a packaging machine

ABSTRACT

A data processing device for use with a packaging machine, wherein goods are packaged in trays or the like with a cover material having data applied thereto in accordance with weight and price information relating to the goods. The device includes a weighing device onto which goods are placed from a conveyer, a calculator having programmed price information, and the weight information of the goods from the weighing device, and a printout unit receiving data from the computer and applying it to the cover material so that that part of the cover material with the data for the tray having goods weighed which produces the data will have the cover applied to the corresponding tray of goods. A tray conveyer is provided for advancing trays in equally spaced relation along a horizontal path, while a web of material in which the covers for the trays are produced is fed to the trays on a tray conveyer.

[4 1 May 16, 1972 [54] DATA PROCESSING DEVICE FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE Joseph Eliasberg, The Hague, Netherlands Maatschappy Van Berkels Patent N.V., Rotterdam, Netherlands [22] Filed: Nov. 4, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 86,852

[72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

3,293,824 12/1966 Dorr ..53/131 3,453,167 7/1969 Arvidson ..l56/360 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Spruill Att0rney-Kinzer, Dom & Zickert [57] ABSTRACT A data processing device for use with a packaging machine, wherein goods are packaged in trays or the like with a cover material having data applied thereto in accordance with [30] Foreign A fi fi p i Data weight and price information relating to the goods. The device includes a weighing device onto which goods are placed from NOV. 18, Germany ..P 19 57 a conveyer, a Calculator having programmed price informa tion, and the weight information of the goods from the [52] U.S. Cl ..53/l4, 53/131, 53/167, weighing device and a prinpon unit receiving data from the 156/ 22 3 6 5 2 33 computer and applying it to the cover material so that that [51] 'f "5531 2 51 2 part of the cover material with the data for the tray having [58] Field 8 1 f 186/1 goods weighed which produces the data will have the cover 5 l 235/98 R applied to the corresponding tray of goods. A tray conveyer is provided for advancing trays in equally spaced relation along a 56 References Cited horizontal path, while a web of material in which the covers 1 for the trays are produced is fed to the trays on a tray con- UNITED STATES PATENTS y 3,194,710 7/1965 Stremke et a1 ..53/131 X 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure G OI I {I i 13 12 n ,1 m am {/am 4 l 1 m m a- I4 i 45?, E O

PATENTEDMAY 16 I972 INVENTOR JOSEPH ELIASBERG BY W f AT ORNEYS DATA PROCESSING DEVICE FOR A PACKAGING MACHINE This invention relates in general to a data processing device for use with a packaging machine to automatically generate and apply data to the packaged goods.

Presently, labels are printed with data for a particular package and thereafter applied to the package by adhesive or other suitable means. Because of irregularly shaped packages, it is often difficult to cause the labels to properly adhere to the packages, and in the event that a label becomes disengaged from a package, it is necessary to completely reprocess the package to generate price and weight data for another label to be applied to the package. Since the labels are prepared for a particular package, it is also possible to place a prepared label on the wrong package.

The present invention overcomes the difficulties heretofore encountered in applying data to packages relative to the package weight, in applying the data directly to packaging material used in the packaging operation prior to application of the packing material to the goods being packaged. For example, where the package may consist of a tray into which the goods are deposited, and a covering of sheet plastic material, the data information relating to the weight, unit cost and total cost for the goods is applied directly to the sheet plastic material, or directly to a label already secured to the sheet plastic material when the sheet plastic material is in a flat state and prior to its being applied and sealed to the tray. A conveyer is employed for advancing the trays in equally spaced relation along a horizontal path while the goods are weighed prior to their being transferred into the trays. Weighing of the goods and transfer into trays are synchronized with a print-out unit that applies the data directly to a web of material being fed to the conveyer and into contact with the trays thereunder. The placing of data printed on the web of material is coordinated with the movement of the filled trays along the conveyer so that the cover material defined by the web will be directly applied to the corresponding tray having the goods weighed which generated the data printed on the web of material. Accordingly, no mistake can be made as to the proper application of the proper data to the proper package. Further, since the data may be applied directly to the covering material for a tray, it cannot thereafter be disengaged from the package. Alternatively, if the data is printed directly on a label that thereafter is being or has already been secured to the web of material when in its flat form, the label will properly adhere to the cover material and thereafter not likely become disengaged therefrom. Following the feeding of the web of material to the trays, suitable means is provided for fastening the cover material to the trays.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a data processing device for a packaging machine which will assure proper application of the correct data to each package, and so that it cannot thereafter become disengaged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a data processing device for a packaging machine wherein data relating to the weight, unit cost and total cost of the goods to be packaged, is applied directly to packaging material prior to the packaging operation.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed disclosure, taken in conjunction with the accompanying sheet of drawing wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which:

The single FIGURE shows a packaging machine having the data dispensing device according to the invention associated therewith, it being appreciated that the showing is somewhat diagrammatic for purposes of simplicity.

The invention in general comprises the movement of unpackages goods along a conveyer and onto a weighing device. A computer or calculator is provided to receive the output of the weighing device and program it together with unit cost information to generate total cost data, all or any part of which may then be fed into a print-out device. Following the weighing operation, the goods are transferred into trays or the like which are carried on a tray conveyer. The trays are arranged in equally spaced relation, and the goods are therein advanced to a station where cover material is applied over the trays. The cover material is provided in web form and will have data printed thereon by the print-out unit so that that part of the web which coacts with a tray of goods to form the complete package for the goods will have data printed thereon corresponding to the weight of the goods in the tray. A suitable sealing device is then employed to fasten the data imprinted cover onto the tray.

Referring to the drawing, a goods conveyer 10 is provided to advance goods 11 to a weighing station 12. The goods con veyer 10 may take any desirable form, but it is shown as a belt conveyer. It should be appreciated that the goods may be of any type that is desired to be packaged, including food and other articles, and it is depicted herein as sliced meat. The goods are suitably deposited on the goods conveyer in equally spaced relation longitudinally, and may be also applied in juxtaposed rows, thereby being shown two rows in the drawing.

The weighing station includes a weighing device, and in the instant illustration a pair of weighing units 13 are arranged at the discharge end of the conveyer l0, and provided with suitable weighing platforms onto which the goods 11 are deposited in any suitable manner. For simplicity purposes, the mechanism employed for transferring the goods to the weighing units has been omitted. The weighing units 13 are mounted on a support 14 which in turn is cantileverally supported from an upstanding post 15 that extends upwardly from a floor stand 16. Adjusting means 17 is provided to permit adjusting the height of the weighing units 13.

While the weighing units 13 are supported at the discharge end of the goods conveyer 10, there are also supported above a tray conveyer 18 which advances therealong beneath the weighing units a plurality of packaging trays 19. Any suitable means may be provided to maintain the trays 19 in proper relation to each other and in proper spaced relation along the conveyer. The conveyer 18 may take any desired form such as a belt conveyer having pockets for the trays, but it is intended that the conveyer advance the trays along a rectilinear path. In the present illustration, a pair of trays 19 are arranged in side by side relation for receiving the goods following the weighing operation. Any suitable means may be provided for transferring the goods from the weighing units into the trays on the tray conveyer, this being omitted for purposes of simplicity.

Weight data generated by the weighing units 13 is delivered to a computer or calculator 20 by cables 21. The computer 20 may be of any desired type, but preferably of the electronic type which allows it to be compact; and as illustrated, the computer is supported on the post 15, although it may be located in any suitable position. The computer includes a control panel 22 having a keyboard 23 for programming into the computer price per unit weight data which will depend upon the goods being packaged. The computer will preferably be automatically actuated in response to the operation of the weighing units, but may be manually operated if desired.

A print-out unit 24 receives the data generated by the computer 20 through a cable 25. The data generated may include the total price of the goods, unit price, and weight, it being understood that total price would always be included, but that unit price and weight would preferably be included. Further, the computer 20 would be such that it can independently calculate the data for each of the weighing units and independently provide the data to adjacent printers in the print-out unit 24.

The print-out unit 24 is cantileverally supported on an upstanding post 26 which is in turn supported by a floor stand 27. Adjustable means 28 permit adjusting the height of the printout unit as needed. A slot 29 is provided in the print-out unit through which the web of material 30 is run, and which will ultimately comprise the cover material for the trays 19. Preferably, the web material will be transparent plastic which will allow the goods within the package to be seen. The web material 30 may be taken from a supply roll 31, trained over a guide roll 32 positioned above the print-out unit, and again over a guide roll 33 positioned below the print-out unit and at the tray conveyer 18. As illustrated, the web material is provided with frames 34 into which the data may be imprinted. Alternately, labels may be secured to the web material and in the position to receive the printed data. In either case, the imprinted data will be applied when the cover material in the form of the web is in flat form.

The print-out unit preferably applies the data directly to the web material in the form of numerical printing, color or magnetic coding. Where the data is applied by color or magnetic coding, it will be appreciated that it can be scanned electronically.

The application of the data to the web material 30 is accomplished in synchronism with the goods of the weighing station so that when the trays having the weighed goods therein arrive in contact with the web material, the proper imprinted data will be applied directly to the tray with the weighed goods corresponding to data, thereby eliminating any possibility of mislabeling. Further, since the data is applied directly to the packaging material for the package, it cannot thereafter become accidentally disengaged without destroying the package. Moreover, printing of data on the packaging material while in fiat form assures legibility, even where the material may take an irregular shape when it becomes a part of the package.

The web material 30 is fastened to the trays by a suitable sealing unit 35 arranged adjacent to the goods conveyer l8 and downstream from the point where the web material is applied to the trays. For example, the web material, if plastic film, may be heat sealed to the trays.

The trays may be of any suitable material, such as being vacuum formed from plastic or formed from paperboard into any desired shape. It should be appreciated that any suitable form of packaging may be employed with the data processing device of the invention.

It should further be appreciated that the various sizes of goods and packages may be handled by adjusting the position of the weighing units, the position of the goods, conveyer, and the height of the print-out unit. While only two package parts are illustrated to make up a package, additional package parts may be provided where needed, it being understood that data will be generated and applied to one or more package parts as required for the desired package.

it will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention, but it is understood that this application is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. in combination with a packaging machine for successively packaging goods of varying weight, wherein the package for the goods includes first and second package parts, data processing means for generating data and applying same to each package in accordance with the weight and price per unit weight, said data processing means including a weighing device, a computer, and a print-out unit, wherein price information is programmed into the computer, means feeding weight information from said weighing device into the computer, means feeding weight and unit price data from said computer into said print-out unit, a first package part conveyer for advancing a plurality of first package parts along a horizontal path, means mounting the weighing device above the first package part conveyer, a goods conveyer for delivering goods to the weighing device, wherein following the weighing operation the goods are transferred onto the first package parts on the first package part conveyer, means feeding said second package parts in the form of a web of material to said first package parts, including directing said web from above the first package pan conveyer downwardly thereto into contact with said first package parts on said first package part conveyer, means mounting the print-out unit above the first package part conveyer to app? the data to the web of material in synchronism with the a vancing of the filled first package parts on the first package part conveyer to cause the correct data to be applied to that part of the web which will define the second package part for the package of the first package part having the goods weighed which corresponds to the applied data, and means securing the second package parts onto the first package parts.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the first package parts are equally spaced along the conveyer, and the corresponding data is applied to the web in equally spaced relation therealong as it is advanced toward the first package parts conveyer.

3. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said first package parts are in the form of trays and said second package parts are in the form of transparent film.

4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein means is provided for adjusting the print-out unit location to accommodate packages of various sizes and shapes.

5. A data dispensing device for packaging goods comprising, a tray conveyer for advancing a plurality of trays in equally spaced relation along a rectinlear path, a goods weighing station for weighing the goods, including a weighing device positioned over the conveyer, a goods conveyer for advancing unpackaged goods onto the weighing device, means transferring the goods from the weighing device into the trays, a computer for computing the value of the goods based on the weight and a given price per unit weight, means feeding the weight value of the weighing device to the computer, means feeding cover material onto the conveyer in registry with the trays to close same, a print-out unit receiving data output information from the computer for the goods of a particular tray and applying same to the cover material in synchronism with the advancing filled tray to be applied to the particular tray, and means fastening the cover material to the trays.

6. The method of processing and applying data to a package, which comprises successively delivering goods of various weights to a weighing device, successively weighing the goods, successively programming the weight of the goods and unit price data into a computer, successively transferring the goods onto a first package part on a conveyer, successively generating total price data in the computer, successively feeding the data of the computer to a print-out unit, driving second package parts in the form of a web of material through the print-out unit and causing the print-out unit to apply data on the material as generated by the computer following weighing of goods, and causing the second package parts to move in synchronism with the filled first package parts so that each second package part with applied data will coact with the first package part having the weighed goods that generated the data to form the package for the goods.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,662,511 Dated May 16, 1972 Joseph Eliasberg It is certified that an error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The name of the Assignee should be changed from "Maatschappy Van Berkel's. Patent N.V. to --Maa.tschappij Van Berkel's Patent N.V.--.

hgzieo. and sealed this 1st day of May 1973.

'\.1 .1 ,4 LL-LJLDU JETS-31D FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHAUQ Q-Ittesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In combination with a packaging machine for successively packaging goods of varying weight, wherein the package for the goods includes first and second package parts, data processing means for generating data and applying same to each package in accordance with the weight and price per unit weight, said data processing means including a weighing device, a computer, and a print-out unit, wherein price information is programmed into the computer, means feeding weight information from said weighing device into the computer, means feeding weight and unit price data from said computer into said print-out unit, a first package part conveyer for advancing a plurality of first package parts along a horizontal path, means mounting the weighing device above the first package part conveyer, a goods conveyer for delivering goods to the weighing device, wherein following the weighing operation the goods are transferred onto the first package parts on the first package part conveyer, means feeding said second package parts in the form of a web of material to said first package parts, including directing said web from above the first package part conveyer downwardly thereto into contact with said first package parts on said first package part conveyer, means mounting the print-out unit above the first package part conveyer to apply the data to the web of material in synchronism with the advancing of the filled first package parts on the first package part conveyer to cause the correct data to be applied to that part of the web which will define the second package part for the package of the first package part having the goods weighed which corresponds to the applied data, and means securing the second package parts onto the first package parts.
 2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the first package parts are equally spaced along the conveyer, and the corresponding data is applied to the web in equally spaced relation therealong as it is advanced toward the first package parts conveyer.
 3. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said first package parts are in the form of trays and said second package parts are in the form of transparent film.
 4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein means is provided for adjusting the print-out unit location to accommodate packages of various sizes and shapes.
 5. A data dispensing device for packaging goods comprising, a tray conveyer for advancing a plurality of trays in equally spaced relation along a rectinlear path, a goods weighing station for weighing the goods, including a weighing device positioned over the conveyer, a goods conveyer for advancing unpackaged goods onto the weighing device, means transferring the goods from the weighing device into the trays, a computer for computing the value of the goods based on the weight and a given price per unit weight, means feeding the weight value of the weighing device to the computer, means feeding cover material onto the conveyer in registry with the trays to close same, a print-out unit receiving data output information from the computer for the goods of a particular tray and applying same to the cover material in synchronism with the advancing filled tray to be applied to the particular tray, and means fastening the cover material to the trays.
 6. The method of processing and applying data to a package, which comprises successively delivering goods of various weights to a weighing device, successively weighing the goods, successively programming the weight of the goods and unit price data into a computer, successively transferring the goods onto a first package part on a conveyer, successively generating total price data in the computer, successively feeding the data of the computer to a print-out unit, driving second package parts in the form of a web of material through the print-out unit and causing the print-out unit to apply data on the material as generated by the computer following weighing of goods, and causing the second package parts to move in synchronism with the filled first package parts so that each second package part with applied data will coact with the first package part having the weighed goods that generated the data to form the package for the goods. 